D
Stonehenge(巨石阵)may have been a prehistoric health center rather than a site for observing stars or a temple in honor of the dead, scientists said yesterday. New evidence unearthed at the World Heritage Site in more than 40 years suggests that the monument was a place where the diseased and injured went in groups, seeking cures.
After a two-week dig, scientists have concluded that Stonehenge was “the ancient healthcare centre of southern England” because of the existence of “bluestones”---the smaller columns of dolerite(辉绿岩)that formed an earlier stone structure.
By dating pieces of remains to around 7330BC, Tim Darvill, of Bournemouth University, and Goff Wainwright, of the Society of Amtiquaries have found that hunter-gatherers were at the site on Salisbury Plain 4,000 years earlier than thought. The first stage of Stonehenge, a round earthwork structure, was built around 3000BC. Professor Wainwright added: “I did not expect the degree of complexity we discovered. We’re able to say so much more about when Stonehenge was built and why---all of which changes our previous understanding of the monument.”
The research reveals the importance of the henge’s famous bluestones. Hundreds of bluestone chips gathered at the site have led the team to conclude that the bluestones were valued for their curing effects---the key reason that about 80 of them, each weighing up to 4 tons and a half, were dragged more than 150 miles from the Preseli Hills to Wiltshire. After years of research, Professors Darvill and Wainwright have concluded that, for thousands of years, the Preseli mountain range was home to magical health centers and holy wells.
Even today there are those who believe in the curing powers of the springs for coughs and heart disease, and people who use crystals and bluestones for self-curing. Radiocarbon tests have also revealed that the construction of the original bluestone circle took place around 2300BC, three centuries later than originally thought. Interestingly, on the same day died the “Amesbury Archer”---a sick traveler from the Swiss or German Alps who had an infected knee---whose remains were discovered about five miles from Stonehenge. The professors believe that he was a devoted religious person who was hoping to benefit from the curing powers of the monument.
63.Stonehenge is recently believed to be a place for people .
A.to recover from poor health B.to observe star movements
C.to hold religious ceremonies D.to gather huge bluestones
64.What can be inferred about Stonehenge from the passage?
A.The springs could cure coughs and heart disease best.
B.The new discovery was the same as what had been expected.
C.Some huge bluestones were not produced at Stonehenge.
D.The original bluestone circle was thought to be constructed around 2000BC.
65.The sick traveler in the passage is supposed to be .
A.a devoted religious person from Stonehenge
B.one of the earliest discoverers of Stonehenge
C.the first explorer to test the magical power of bluestones
D.a patient trying to cure his infection at Stonehenge
66.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A.Stonehenge: A New Place of Interest B.Stonehenge: Still Making News
C.Stonehenge: Heaven for Adventurers D.Stonehenge: Still Curing Patients
It’s really true what people say about English politeness: it’s everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow aisle, people say “sorry”. When getting off a bus, English passengers say “thank you” rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles and came to appreciate some more polite ways of interacting (交往) with people.
People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customers and retail assistants in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one “thank you” in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.
Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized (强调) several times that none of their words were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This is also shown in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter (后者) are a bit tightfisted.What is the author’s attitude towards English politeness?
A.He appreciates it. |
B.He gives no personal opinion. |
C.He thinks it is unnecessary. |
D.He thinks it goes too far. |
What can we learn about customers and retail assistants in Germany?
A.A customer never says thank you to a retail assistant. |
B.They may say thank you only once. |
C.It’s always a retail assistant who says thank you. |
D.They always say thank you to each other. |
We can learn from the last paragraph that Scottish men __________.
A.are not so willing to spend money for women |
B.are more polite than English men |
C.treat women in an impolite way |
D.are more likely to be involved in a fighting |
The author develops the text through the method of ____________.
A.giving reasons | B.telling stories | C.giving comments | D.making comparisons |
My mind seems always to return to the day when I met Carl. The city bus stopped at a corner to pick up the daily commuters (someone who travels regularly to and from work), a group in which I was included. Boarding the bus, I looked for a place to sit. At last, I found a place near the back.
The occupant of the seat next to the one I was going for was an older man in a grey suit, well-worn dress shoes, and a black hat like I always pictured reporters wearing, but without the little press card. Seated myself, I began to read the book I had been carrying, which was Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. The man in the seat next to me introduced himself by asking if I had read any other book like the one I was holding. When I told him I had, he seemed to become interested, and so did I. He introduced himself as Carl and asked if I liked jazz, and I told him that I didn’t really listen to it, and that I liked rock and roll. Waiting for Carl to tell me that I should listen to real music, I was shocked when he just smiled and nodded. He said, “You remind me of myself when I was your age. I remember how my parents hated jazz, how they couldn’t see how I could listen to that awful noise. I bet your parents say the same thing, don’t they?” Now it was my turn to smile, amused with how right he was.
As the bus ferried us from one side of the city to the other, Carl and I talked about a lot of different things. The more we talked, the more amazed I became at how much the two of us really had in common, despite the age difference. I haven’t seen him since we parted, but the thought of our connection that day rarely leaves my mind.
Carl really made me think about how much we can learn from each other if we just break through the blocks between us we’ve got. I mean, I would have never thought before that day that I could have anything in common with someone so much older than I, just because of age. But Carl taught me that no matter what, we are all just people, and that we should make an extra effort to try and get to know our neighbors and people we see every day, regardless of age, race, religion, sex, or anything else. If we all take the time to attempt to understand each other, I think that the world would be a much better place that we could share together, as humans.From the first paragraph we know that the author _______.
A.did not mind whether there was a seat or not |
B.hoped to have a seat when getting on the bus |
C.thought the bus was overcrowded |
D.looked for a seat but failed |
The author usually imagined a reporter as one who _______.
A.liked jazz music |
B.enjoyed talking with others |
C.liked reading Jack Kerouac’s works |
D.usually wore a black hat and press card |
After talking with Carl, the author realized that _______.
A.older people were nice to talk to |
B.he should have known Carl earlier |
C.his parents were so different from Carl’s in listening to music |
D.age was not necessarily a problem in heart-to-heart communication |
It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A.the author hasn’t seen the old man since then |
B.jazz music used to be more popular than rock and roll |
C.the author was not satisfied with human relationships in the world |
D.Carl made the author realize how much people could learn from each other |
I live in Hollywood. You may think people in such an attractive, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more long-lasting emotion. Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends.
I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant access to exciting parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness”. But in memoir(回忆录) after memoir, celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children, and long-time loneliness.
The way people hold on to the belief that a fun-filled, pain-free life equates happiness actually decreases their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equated with happiness, then pain must be equated with unhappiness. But, in fact, the opposite is true: More times than not, things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very efforts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment, charitable work and self-improvement.According to the passage, “fun activities” ____________.
A.are the things we do before we find happiness |
B.may help us relax and forget our problems sometimes |
C.will lead us to the true happiness |
D.could provide long-last positive effects |
In the author’s opinion, those Hollywood stars ____________.
A.possess happiness because they are rich and famous |
B.experience almost all kinds of happy things |
C.tell us happiness isn’t equal to fun using their own stories |
D.have to suffer a lot before they become successful |
It is difficult for people to find real happiness because ____________.
A.they believe happiness is the fun life without pain |
B.they find pain equals unhappiness |
C.they fear to lose what they already have in life |
D.they are afraid all their efforts were in vain |
The main purpose of the text is to ____________.
A.describe the difference between happiness and fun |
B.show the true meaning of happiness |
C.encourage people to pursue fun activities |
D.advise people to find their real life |
Gene technology to benefit people
Among all the fast growing science and technology, the research of human genes, or biological engineering as people call it, is drawing more and more attention now. Sometimes it is a hot topic talked about by people.
The greatest thing that gene technology can do is to cure serious diseases that doctors at present can almost do nothing with, such as cancer and heart disease. Every year, millions of people are murdered by these two killers. And to date, doctors have not found an effective way to cure them. But if the gene technology is applied, not only can these two diseases be cured completely, bringing happiness and more living days to the patients, but also the great amount of money people spend on curing their diseases can be saved, therefore it benefits the economy as well. In addition, human life can be longer.
Gene technology can help people to give birth to more healthy and clever children. Some families, with the English imperial family being a good example, have hereditary (遗传的) diseases. This means their children will for sure have the family disease, which is a great trouble for these families. In the past, doctors could do nothing with hereditary diseases. But gene technology can solve this problem perfectly. The scientists just need to find the wrong gene and correct it, and a healthy child will be born.
Some people are worrying that the gene research can be used to make human beings in large quantities. In the past few years, scientists have succeeded in cloning babies will not come out in large quantities, for most couples in the world can have babies in very normal way. Of course, the governments must take care to control gene technology.What does “these two killers” in the second paragraph refer to?
A.Gene technology and another treatment of the two diseases. |
B.The two murderers who killed the cloned baby. |
C.Hereditary disease and cancer. |
D.Cancer and heart disease. |
In what way can gene technology help to treat hereditary diseases?
A.Using gene technology, a scientist finds the wrong gene and corrects it. |
B.Using gene technology, people with hereditary diseases can live longer. |
C.Using gene technology, human babies can also be cloned. |
D.Doctors can cure cancer and heart disease with the help of gene technology. |
What is the main purpose of writing the text?
A.Explaining that gene technology will also do great harm to human race. |
B.Telling the readers the positive effects gene technology has on people’s life. |
C.Expressing the writer’s idea that gene technology will benefit people. |
D.Informing people that gene technology helps clone babies in large quantities. |
The Basics of Math—Made Clear
Basic Math introduces students to the basic concepts of mathematics, as well as the fundamentals of more tricky areas. These 30 fantastic lectures are designed to provide students with an understanding of arithmetic(算数) and to prepare them for Algebra (代数) and beyond.
The lessons in Basic Math cover every basic aspect of arithmetic. They also look into exponents (指数), the order of operations, and square roots. In addition to learning how to perform various mathematical operations, students discover why these operations work, how a particular mathematical topic relates to other branches of mathematics, and how these operations can be used practically.
Basic Math starts from the relatively easier concepts and gradually moves on to the more troublesome ones, so as to allow for steady and sure understanding of the material by students. The lectures offer students the chance to “make sense” of mathematical knowledge that may have seemed so frightening. They also help students prepare for college mathematics and overcome their anxiety about this amazing — and completely understandable — field of study.
By the conclusion of the course, students will have improved their understanding of basic math. They will be able to clear away the mystery (神秘性) of mathematics and face their studies with more confidence than they ever imagined. In addition, they will strengthen their ability to accept new and exciting mathematical challenges.
Professor H. Siegel, honored by Kentucky Educational Television as “the best math teacher in America,” is a devoted teacher and has a gift for explaining mathematical concepts in ways that make them seem clear and obvious. From the basic concrete ideas to the more abstract problems, he is a master in making math lectures learner-friendlier and less scary.
With a PhD in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University, Dr. Siegel teaches mathematics at Central Arizona College. His courses include various make-up classes and a number of lectures for future primary school teachers.
If the course fails to provide complete satisfaction to you, you can easily exchange it for any other course that we offer. Or you can get your money back.What does the course Basic Math mainly cover?
A.Arithmetic. | B.College Mathematics. |
C.Algebra. | D.Mathematics Education. |
What benefits can students expect from Basic Math?
A.Stronger imaginative ability. |
B.Additional presentation skills. |
C.Greater chances of becoming teachers. |
D.More mathematical confidence. |
What can we learn about Professor H. Siegel?
A.He is a guest lecturer at Kentucky Educational Television. |
B.He works in Georgia State University. |
C.He is to deliver 30 lectures in Basic Math. |
D.He specializes in training teachers. |
Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?
A.A news report. | B.An advertisement |
C.A lesson plan. | D.A book review |